Playing Ep 01

What people are saying

• lazygiraffe48

  Overall 7

  Story 6,  Acting 8,  Music 6,  Rewatch Value 3.5

  For aficionados of the entrancing tapestry of Three Kingdoms lore and admirers of Raymond Lam's thespian prowess, this series emerges as a commendable indulgence, albeit with a caveat: brace yourself for a somewhat sluggish onset. What captures the imagination is the show’s deft blend of historical echoes with a breezy, almost affable narrative undertone. Yet, brace for an emotional tempest as this tale reaches its culmination. The finale, I must confess, delivers a concoction of bewilderment intertwined with a sharp sting of sorrow—it may test...

  the fortitude of even the most stoic viewers. Nonetheless, for those equipped with the mettle to navigate its poignant arc, the journey through this series is, undoubtedly, a venture well worth taking.

• GrumpyTron

  Overall 3

  Story 5,  Acting 5,  Music 3,  Rewatch Value 1

  Be advised, the following review may include plot revelations.
  
  
  In the realm of temporal adventures, the series in question falls tragically short, marking itself as perhaps one of the more underwhelming forays into the science fiction genre I've had the displeasure of viewing. From inception to conclusion, the narrative frays, exemplifying a prime example of potential tragically squandered.
  
  The finale, ostensibly aiming for profound and poignant, lands regrettably in the domain of the nonsensical, leaving an aftertaste of regret for the hours invested. Such a denouement...

  seemed intended to shock and awe; instead, it prompts head-shaking bemusement, and not of the entertained variety.
  
  While production values can occasionally redeem a faltering storyline, in this case, they, too, fail to meet even moderate expectations. Aesthetic elements that traditionally enhance period traversal tales feel lackluster, mirroring the overall disheartening ambiance that pervades the series.
  
  Moreover, the performances delivered by our principal actors are a far cry from their best work. The flatness with which they embody their roles adds to the tapestry of disappointment, and one wonders what misstep in direction led us here.
  
  It's perplexing that the narrative is stamped with a comedy label, for the laughs—if this was indeed the intention—are lost in translation, buried beneath layers of incongruous drama. To reveal a pivotal twist, the hero, in an attempt to defy temporal barriers, embarks on a lifelong odyssey that culminates in his demise, whilst his counterpart paradoxically crosses into his epoch for a sorrow-tinged farewell. The irony of their crisscrossed timelines is not lost, but it is indeed stifling in its futility.
  
  Should this cautionary critique not deter the unfazed viewer, the series is available for your bemused scrutiny at encoretvb.com, complete with English subtitles—though I daresay you venture there at your own risk.